Roads allocation will cover six-year period
The Department for Transport has pledged £6bn to tackle potholes and improve local roads over the next six years.
The investment, announced today by transport secretary of state Patrick McLoughlin, equates to £976m per annum, which the Department for Transport (DfT) estimates will fix 18 million potholes a year.
It is the first time councils have been allocated road funding over such a long period, which is designed to help them plan ahead.
McLoughlin said: “It is vital we have good quality roads. This government has already taken strong action by spending £1bn more on local roads maintenance than was spent in the previous parliament.”
The DfT has allocated the £4.7bn across 115 councils, while a further £575m will be available through a new challenge fund to help repair and maintain local highway infrastructure such as junctions, bridges and street lighting. An additional £578m has been set aside for an “incentive fund” starting in 2016 which the government said will reward councils who demonstrate they are delivering value for money in carrying out cost effective improvements.
The announcement does not cover London, where roads funding is allocated by the capital’s mayor.
Responding to the DfT announcement, a spokesman for the Local Government Association said: “While helpful, this new money does not bridge the overall funding gap which is increasing year-on-year. There is still a very long way to go to bring the nation’s roads up to scratch.”
He added that the entire funding pot should have been allocated directly to councils without a slice being siphoned off into the challenge fund.
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